To the Green Fields Beyond
by KingSlayer515
Summary: In 1918, the Battle of Amiens marked the start of the Hundred Days Offensive. During this battle, the Mark V Tank saw the most action, with a total of 108 deployed to the battlefield. One of those that perished among the fighting was the Little Annie, number D42. The crew, however, lived to tell the tale of the tank. Historical Fiction. Rated M for strong violence and language.
1. Chapter One: Introduction

**This is a small teaser/introduction to a World War One story that I am writing** **which depicts the Battle of Amiens through the eyes of a tank crew. This story is Historical Fiction, as the** ** _Little Annie_** **never was an actual Tank. It is, however, inspired by the story of Private Chas Rowland, whose account of the battle was recently made into a film called Our World War for BBC. (Don't even, you dirty-minded bastard!) So, without further ado, *blows whistle* CHARGE!**

* * *

"The War To End All Wars." Even in 1914, it was a laughable concept. Yet still, there were those who fought, hoping that their presence would mean a change in the seemingly endless conflict that raged throughout the world. Among the battlefields of the Great War, there were men who pushed, believing that they could make a difference by throwing their lives into the fire. This is a process which seemingly never ended in World War I until one side decided to push hard enough. With the assistance of machines, however, the tide of battle could be changed overnight. Mechanized weapons, such as the British Mark tank, could aid in overtaking a line in a matter of minutes.

With a skilled operator and a loyal crew, the Mark V can be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. However, it is unreliable. 400 of them were built during the war. Today, only 11 survive. Contrary to popular belief, the tank was not the tool that won the war, however, it greatly attributed to its end. During the war's closing months, many battles involving these machines took place. Perhaps the most notable being the Battle of Amiens, which marked the start of the Hundred Days Offensive. There, 108 Mark Vs were deployed to the battlefield. Within the first day, however, only a third remained. A single battalion of these were given to the British III Corps to support their allies, and they did not disappoint, despite their technicalities. One of the tanks that participated in this battle, named Little Annie, was one of the many that perished. It's crew, however, lived to tell the tale.


	2. Chapter Two: The Crew

Terrance Edward, a former infantryman, enlisted in the Tank Corps at the age of 23 in 1917, figuring it would be where to go if you wanted to make a difference in the war. Since he was assigned as a tank commander due to his rank, he immediately took control of a Mark IV tank. As soon as the Mark V was introduced though, he was one of the first who was considered for the upgrade. Assigned to Tank D42, he named it Little Annie, and has been participating in the British campaign ever since.

Jonathan Parker, a 19 year-old car mechanic who joined the war in 1917, came from a small farm in Britain. He enlisted in the Tank Corps on August 5th, and was assigned to Little Annie and shipped off three days before the Battle of Amiens. He arrived on site approximately ten hours before the assault began.

Thomas Hood was formerly a trench runner after enlisting in 1916 at the age of 16, lying about his age. Now at the age of 18, he enlisted in the Tank Corps in June of 1918 to escape the field of fire, and was assigned to Little Annie.

Emmet Greene, the oldest member of the crew, was a 21 year-old infantryman in 1914, and fought in almost every battle on the Western Front. Even by 1916, when the Mark I Tank was introduced, he never felt safe in a trench. He was always paranoid he was in a sniper's sights. When the opportunity came to join the Tank Corps, he signed up almost immediately, and hopped from tank to tank, eventually fighting in two Mark Is and three Mark IV's, before finally serving in the Mark V Tank Little Annie.

Chris Daniels joined the war in 1915 at seventeen, lying about his age. He fought for two years before joining the Tank Corps, wanting to make a difference, like Terrance. He was assigned to the Little Annie in 1917, and has been a member of the crew since.

Charles Walker enlisted to the Tank Corps in 1918 to escape his abusive father a month prior to the Battle of Amiens. At sixteen, he lied about his age to escape to the war. Having seen little to no action, he was prone to shell shock and panic for the short time leading up the offensive.

Benjamin Wells, the 18 year-old son of a British pastor, signed up for the war in 1917 to escape from the strict beliefs of the church. Not wanting to endanger himself for the sake of his father, he signed up for the Tank Corps in March of 1918. Assigned to the Little Annie three months later due to frequent breakdowns with his original assignment, he has remained a crew member ever since.

Anthony Marks was a tailor in Britain before the war, learning from his father. He enlisted in 1918 in January, and couldn't stand the boredom of sitting in a support trench. At 19 years old, he was reckless, and wanted excitement. Thus, he enlisted in the Tank Corps in May, and figured that was where it was. Assigned to the Little Annie, he and the rest of the crew witnessed the war's closing months unfold, with them right in the middle of it.


	3. Chapter Three: Little Annie

August 7th, 18:03 Hours

10:17 Hours before armored assault begins.

Classified Location in France

Due East of the Somme

* * *

A little after the eighth hour struck, a wagon pulled by a horse arrived on a seemingly deserted farm in the middle of a vast tract of land. The inside, dimly lit by a lantern, held an anxious Jonathan Parker. With a slight jolt, the wagon halted, and the now-tanker stepped through the curtain and was instructed to wait at the barn. With little words spoken, the wagon rounded the house and squeaked off in the direction it came, and soon, a figure was seen walking toward Jonathan through the fog. As he got closer, Jonathan recognized green clothing, and spoke up ,"So you're not a bloody Jerry, then, huh?" He spoke, and was able to distinguish a smile on the face of the figure, who extended a hand. "I would hope to hell not," he replied with a firm grip. "Welcome to the Tank Corps. Name's Terrance Edward. I'm the Tank Commander of Little Annie," he stated with a nod to the road. "Come on, HQ's this way."

The two started down the half-mile stretch to the woods, where the HQ was stationed. "Tell me. Do you know what happens when a tank stops in the battlefield?" Terrance questioned. "Umm," Parker started. "No sir, I can't say I do." Edward removed his cap and ran a hand through his chestnut-colored hair. "Well," he put his cap back on. "The Germans crawl all over it, and they stuff its ass with AT grenades. You're here to stop that from happening, Corporal." Jonathan smirked and looked down at his muddied boots. "Well, it can't be that much different from a car, now, can it?" The two were now in the woods, and the faint light of fires and lanterns could be seen up ahead. "Well, we'll see about that," Terrance nodded to the Mark V which stood proudly in a small clearing with another tank- a Mark IV bearing the name "Big Brute". "I'll let you be the judge."

The massive machine stood out among the rest because of it's signature markings- the ace of spades card proudly painted approximately five inches behind each sponson, beginning three inches from the track. Little Annie was painted in cursive three inches up and four inches from the right/left (depending on the side) of each vent. It's drab dark green color blended well with the foliage, however, it's white markings gave Little Annie character.

"Boys," Terrance began, calling attention to the crew. "This is our new mechanic, Jonathan Parker," he stated, placing a hand on the mechanic's shoulder. "He's gonna be here to ensure we don't stay in one place for too long in the middle of a battle." The men who were outside chuckled, one of whom was placing the rear LMG into the hatch spoke up, "You're the new mechanic?" Obviously speaking to Parker, who received a slap on the shoulder from Terrance. He nodded and replied, "It would appear so. I'm here to stop the Germans from... what was it?" He whispered to Terrance, who released him and finished the sentence, "From filling our tank with explosives." The one on top of the tank wiped his hands with a rag and smiled at the crewman fitting the gun. "Well, that's awful handy, wouldn't you say?"

"You like it?" Terrance asked Jonathan, who stood in awe at the sight before him. "She's perfect." Terrance smiled and began to roll his tobacco. "Glad to hear that. Believe me when I say this, the Jerries would like nothing more than to get their hands on their own Mark V. This... This is the future of war as we know it." Jonathan nodded excitedly to the tank, "Mind if I poke around inside?" Edward simply shrugged as he lit his cigarette, "Go ahead. I'll give you a tour." The two went to the left sponson and climbed in. The white interior of the Mark V surprised Parker, figuring it would be the same color as the exterior. "Well, she may not look like much," Terrance started as another crew member climbed in. Terrance rapped his fingers against the metal just above the exposed engine. "But, she sure knows how to make a happy man." He smirked and walked over to the driver's position and placed a hand on the LMG's stock, peering out of the window. "She's not as fancy as most of the others. For one, she doesn't have a covered engine, she's still got Lewis Guns, and we have to use lanterns for lights. Other than that, though, she'll serve you right. She's mine, well- ours, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

The crew member from earlier spoke up from the back, where he was loading shells into the storage. "Am I invited to the wedding?" Both men laughed, causing Terrance to chuckle. "Yeah. As a matter of fact, you're the Best Man." The crewman stood and walked from the back of the tank, extending a hand to Jonathan. Terrance introduced him to Parker. "Jonathan, this is Chris Daniels, he mans our right six-pounder." Parker took Chris's hand and shook it firmly, "Pleasure to meet you, Chris." Daniels smirked and moved his black hair from his eyes with his comb. "Likewise. No need to be so formal, though. We're all friends here." He smiled and slapped Jonathan's shoulder, breaking away from the handshake. Chris and Terrance went outside, leaving Parker alone to inspect the Ricardo engine. "This really is something," he said as he crouched down and ran his fingers along the base.

Chris poked his head back in the door, "Hey, come outside. We'll introduce you to the rest of the crew." He left while Jonathan stood, following him out. When he hopped out of the left sponson of the tank, he walked over to a fallen log where the rest of the team sat by a fire. He waved to the rest while they were introduced. Terrance introduced Thomas Hood as the left machine gunner, who was a medium-built kid that looked even younger than him. Emmet Greene was the left cannon operator, and the only one with any facial hair, with the exception of Terrance, who had a light stubble on his chin. He had a certain focus that no one else had, and Jonathan could tell he's seen the most violence. Chris, of course, he had already known.

Charles Walker, who appeared to be the youngest, couldn't have even been seventeen. He was the right machine gunner. Benjamin Wells was the driver, and had a certain flair to himself that made him seem proud. He knew all too well how protected he was, and that gave him confidence. Anthony Marks was the rear gunner, and was noticeably more excited than the others. That left Jonathan to the forward Lewis Gun. By the time everyone was introduced and people began to settle down, it was time for the mission's briefing.

* * *

August 7th, 20:09 Hours

08:11 Hours before armored assault begins.

Classified Location in France

Due East of the Somme

* * *

"Alright. So the initial plan is to stage a forward assault on the German line. They've got field gun positions hidden in various locations, but it's mostly infantry. Our main objective is to punch through the trenches, but we need to destroy those Emma Gees so that our boys can get through. The key here is surprise, so there'll be no bombardment, just artillery before the infantry pulls in." Terrance marked the location on the map where they would be going. "We're going to move in... here," he drew an arrow to the X. "Push back the Germans, and continue our advance to Amiens in the days following. We... are about to participate in the biggest armored assault known to man. I recommend getting some shuteye. We leave at oh-four hundred hours tomorrow morning." With that, the crew dispersed. Some went to the tank, others wandered off to tents or other groups of people. Terrance, however went to converse with the commanders of "Big Brute" and the Niveleur, respectively. With the fight fast approaching, the men would need all the rest they could get.

* * *

 **Well, ladies and gentlemen? What did you think? This is something for me to learn from, though I feel like it has potential. I am currently working on the next chapter, where the Battle of Amiens begins, and our boys will find themselves right in the middle of hell on Earth.**


End file.
